


dreamlike

by moonlights0nata



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: M/M, Post Season 2, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 15:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18318428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlights0nata/pseuds/moonlights0nata
Summary: Takeru stares back in front of him at the fish, blinking.When had he ended up in an aquarium?





	dreamlike

**Author's Note:**

> Originally, I just wanted to write Takeru and Ryoken in an aquarium, for aesthetic (? reasons. Then my brain cells actually connected and I was like 'oh hey maybe I can tie this to season 2.....oh hey now it has a plot???'. Kind of, it's mostly still something I wrote because of an spontaneous idea xD
> 
> It's not the shippiest thing, it's mostly focused on Takeru, but there's definitely hints there 'cause I love TakeRyoYusa uwu Hope you enjoy!

Takeru opens his eyes and sees a fish.

And then another, and then hundreds, colorful and swimming in groups behind a glass in a big water tank. They circle around the fake flora, going back and forth in their limited space, some slower than others, some small, some big. Takeru doesn’t recognize what species they are, but he finds them pretty.

He realizes he’s sitting on a bench in front of the tank, in the middle of a wide room. He takes a look around, and finds more tanks, all with different sea creatures. The room is lit only by small lights, making the tanks glow in the darkness with their more intense illumination. It feels a lot like being down in the ocean, right in the middle before it gets too dark, with some light still making it through from the surface.

Takeru stares back in front of him at the fish, blinking. 

_ When had he ended up in an aquarium? _

The question lingers in his mind, but for some reason, he’s not panicking from not being able to remember. He’s oddly calm, like this is all natural. Like he was here all along and maybe he fell asleep and got separated from Yusaku--

The name makes him stand up abruptly.

_ He has to find Yusaku. _ Something in him is telling him he has to get to him, that he was--he was doing something with him. _ For him _ . But he can’t remember what it was, all he knows is that the feeling is desperate and he has to go.

The moment he turns to walk away, he bumps abruptly into someone, even though the place seemed to be deserted. When he looks up, he sees the last person he thought he would--and the last person he wants to see right now.

“ _ Revolver _ .”

Ryoken looks down at him, but says nothing. 

“What are  _ you _ doing  _ here _ ? You are supposed to--” What is Ryoken supposed to be doing? Something important, too, surely. “Oy, where’s Yusaku? I need to find him.”

All he gets for an answer is more silence, and it’s already pissing Takeru off.

“Hey,  _ answer me _ \--”

All Ryoken does is turn around and begin to walk away. Takeru clicks his tongue, running to catch up.

“Fine, don’t talk. Be an _ asshole _ .” He throws his arms in the air. “Not like you weren’t one already.”

That still doesn’t get him a verbal answer, and Takeru rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and walking beside Ryoken, at arm’s length. He’s not sure where they are going, but this aquarium seems to be  _ huge _ . He settles for ignoring Ryoken and looking over the tanks, forgetting for a moment what he was supposed to be doing.

They pass over rows and rows of tanks, with sharks, whales, an assortment of fishes swimming by coral reefs and anemones, even starfishes sticking to the glass in one small tank. 

At one point he looks up and there’s manta rays swimming over their heads and he stops to look at them longer, marvelled. The ceiling is lower in this part of the aquarium and It feels like if he reached up, he could touch them, even if there is a glass standing between them. 

“Homura.”

He’d just been starting to reach with his hand to touch the glass when Ryoken’s voice, speaking at last, makes him jump. He snaps his head forward again and sees the man at the end of the short hall,  looking back at him, waiting for him. There’s something in his eyes, shining brightly under the lights, that Takeru can’t read, a tilt to his eyebrows he can’t name.

Takeru huffs, retrieving his hand and walking over to him.

“ _ Now _ you decide to talk?”

Apparently no, that was all, since as soon as he catches up, Ryoken resumes walking. Takeru is not sure why but he keeps following him, most likely because Ryoken is the only person here who might know where Yusaku is. 

Takeru tries paying more attention to his surroundings, see if he can spot the other boy, but he’s nowhere to be seen. He’s alone with Ryoken as far as he can tell.

“Hey, can you just  _ say  _ something?” Takeru elbows the man, trying to get some sort of reaction. “Where is Yusaku? Why are you here and not-- _ with him _ ?” Was that what he’d wanted to say earlier? That Ryoken is supposed to be with Yusaku right now? But why? 

Ryoken continues not to answer and Takeru groans, infuriated, walking faster and planting himself in front of the man, stopping him in his tracks.

“ _ Just say something. _ ” He grasps Ryoken by the front of his shirt, shaking him. “I need to know that Yusaku is okay I---I was supposed to--” His head hurts as he struggles to recall. “--protect him? But--” Protect him from  _ what _ ?

“If I--If I failed, you, you have to...you have to make sure he’s  _ okay _ .” His grip loosens, staring at the floor. He’s not sure what he’s saying anymore. “If you let  _ anything _ happen to Yusaku, I’ll  _ never  _ forgive you.”

“He’s okay.” Takeru startles, looking up at Ryoken. He finally gets a coherent answer. His face is impassive but there’s an understanding in his eyes. “You don’t have to worry about that.” 

“O-Oh.” Takeru heaves a relieved sigh, letting go off the man. “I...that’s good.”

“Everyone is okay.” Ryoken continues without prompt, and, of all things, his hand grabs Takeru’s. He’s so confused by the action and glad at the words he doesn’t make to pull away instantly, letting the man pull him along. 

_ Everyone is okay. _ That means--Kusanagi, Aoi---something had happened to them too. But why can’t he remember what? There’s another name in his head--Jin, Kusanagi’s brother. Is he okay too?  _ Did they save him?  _

“--Oy, let me go--” He comes out of his thoughts and tugs at his hand but Ryoken’s grip doesn’t loosen. Takeru huffs, cheeks flushing. This is embarrassing, why is Ryoken doing that? He knows Takeru doesn’t like him. “Listen to--”

Ryoken stops walking abruptly and Takeru almost crashes into him. When he glances up, they are standing in front of a tank that occupies the whole expanse of the wall and it’s filled with jellyfishes.

“... _ Woah. _ ” He can’t help but mutter, gaping. There’s a lot of them, big and tiny and relucent. Their tentacles seem to flutter in the water, like frills, as they float around. For some reason, they remind Takeru of lanterns, maybe because right now they are the only source of light around them, which is bizarre, but Takeru isn’t questioning it. 

As they pass by in front of them, he turns to glance at Ryoken’s profile and watches the way the jellyfish’s luminescence reflects on his features, makes his hair look shinier. Then he turns his face towards Takeru.

“...All except  _ you _ .”

_ Huh? _

“Homura. I still owe you a duel.” 

Takeru’s eyes widened. That’s true, he remembered Ryoken asking him to wait for them to have their duel until...until  _ what _ ? They had to do something first, _ save Jin _ , stop--they were  _ stopping Lightning. _ They had gone to face him--

“Revolver, what happened with Lightning?!” It is all coming back to him, going to find Lightning, getting separated. 

“It’s over. You have to  _ come back _ .”

“What do you mean it’s  _ over _ ?!” He is starting to feel agitated, nothing is making sense. The jellyfish float outside of the tank, swimming up into a vast nothingness. “Answer me, Revolver ! Is--Did you beat Lightning? Is Bohman--” 

His breath hitches. That’s right.  _ Bohman. _ He had fought with him, hadn’t he? He remembers being so angry, ready to burn Link Vrains to the ground to find him or Lightning because of what they’d done.  _ To Yusaku. _ He remembers Playmaker falling unconscious after being forced to duel Kusanagi--remembers how his heart had hurt at watching him fade away, at the pain Yusaku must have felt at facing the person that was closest to him. He had gone searching for Bohman for this very reason, wanting to protect Yusaku, to put an end to everything for him.

But Ryoken had said Yusaku was okay. Everyone was okay. 

“Stop being weird and cryptic and  _ answer me. _ ” He almost,  _ almost,  _ begs, because he has to know. “What happened while I was…” He was...what? He’d fought Bohman and then... _ then _ …

“Where is all that  _ fire _ you had when you challenged me?” Ryoken’s words sound like a challenge of their own, like he wants to rile him up, and Takeru’s mouth pulls into an annoyed grimace.

“Ugh, I don’t know what you are getting at ! I could duel you right here and now if that’s what you want ! And don’t try to stop me F--” As he speaks he lifts his arm to check his duel disk but it isn’t there. He rarely goes anywhere without it anymore. Without...without...

A jellyfish stays hovering next to their faces and catches his attention. Takeru observes it. It’s small, and red, until it’s not a jellyfish anymore. It glows brighter and brighter before it starts burning and becomes fire. A flame.

_ Flame _ .

Takeru’s vision blurs and he realizes he’s started crying, realization crashing on him like a tidal wave. In the middle of his duel with Bohman, Windy had interrupted, and Flame...

“Flame is _ gone. _ ” He chokes out, shaking his head. That fact alone is enough to crush his heart, because not everyone is okay then. He had lost Flame and he remembers now, he had _ lost the duel _ . He had been unable to keep his promise to his partner.

“...Oh god. Am I  _ dead _ ?” He pales, starting to panic. “I lost that duel so I--” Other flashes come back to him from that loss, old feelings he doesn’t want to remember, but the air is already starting to crackle with electricity, as if the very jellyfish were producing it. They had begun to circle around them, their glow seeming more menacing now, more suffocating, and he can already feel the shocks in his skin, making it tingle, and he can’t, he  _ can’t _ \--

“Homura.” Ryoken squeezing his hand makes him gasp and lift his gaze and nothing prepares him for the face the other man is making. Something open and raw, genuine concern reflected in the furrow of his eyebrows and the creasing under his eyes. For a moment he looks _ so tired. _ Takeru doesn’t understand anything, nothing is making sense, but the next words out of Ryoken’s mouth only leave him more lost.

“You have to  _ wake up _ .”

_ ‘What?’ _ Takeru means to say that out loud, but he has trouble breathing--he’s drowning, there’s water in his lungs. But why can Ryoken speak then? Does he not realize they are deep underwater, trapped with these jellyfish, with all these sea creatures swimming past them? 

Or maybe it’s just him. Maybe he’s the only one  _ trapped _ and he’s seeing everything from inside the glass--

“ _ Takeru _ .” Another voice, familiar, is suddenly at his side, and when he turns Yusaku is there, okay and safe and looking at him like he is the one in danger. Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t dead but  _ dying _ and that’s why Yusaku looks and sounds scared. “Wake up.” He grasps Takeru’s other hand in both of his. “ _ Please _ \--”

Takeru opens his mouth but all that comes out is bubbles and foam, he’s really drowning, drowning, drowning and everything is going dark, he can’t  _ breathe _ \--

“Homura !” “Takeru !”

Takeru’s eyes fly open and lets out a sharp gasp and  _ oh god he can breathe. _ He blinks rapidly, trying to focus on one of the two faces leaning over him. Yusaku and Ryoken wear almost matching looks of disbelief and relief as they stare at him.

“What--I’m--” It’s all he gets out before, to his own surprise, Yusaku pulls him up in a hug. 

“Takeru.” It’s a soft murmur against his ear, and it finally gets him to react and hug Yusaku back, squeezing him tighter when he realizes this is  _ real _ , it has to be, with Yusaku safe and sound in his arms and squeezing him back.

“Yusaku.” He buries his face in his shoulder. “You’re okay.”

“I should be saying that.” Yusaku huffs, pulling back just enough to see Takeru’s face. “You...You wouldn’t wake up. Even after we beat Bohman and got everyone back.”

“You are going to have to catch me up on that later.” Takeru goes for a smile, but it’s weak. He feels exhausted, even though he was passed out until just now. “How...long was I out?”

“...Five days.” Yusaku sits on the edge of his bed--now Takeru notices the sheets are all white and that he is indeed, in a hospital. 

“Oh. Wow.” Takeru rubs the back of his head. He’s quiet, staring at his lap, before he recalls something. “I had this strange dream, just now. I was in…in an aquarium” He finally turns to look at the other occupant in the room. Ryoken had composed his expression by now but he is still looking at Takeru. “ _ You _ were there.”

Ryoken blinks, arching his eyebrows. “...Oh?”

“Yeah. You were being  _ weird _ at first and didn’t answer me.” He runs his fingers throughs his hair. “I...for some reason I couldn’t remember about Bohman or Lightning at first. All I knew is I had to find Yusaku because something  _ bad _ happened. But then you told me he--everyone was okay. And then you--”  _ Grabbed my hand _ . Takeru clears his throat. “Um. There was this big jellyfish tank? And you said you owed me a duel, which is true--and you said it was over and I had to go back--” 

As he talks, Takeru doesn’t notice the way Ryoken’s eyes widen and the look Yusaku is giving him. 

“Seriously I was so  _ confused _ but I started remembering things, and I...I remembered Flame.” He deflates, fingers curling into fists. “I remembered...he’s gone. And that I lost to Bohman--I thought I was  _ dead _ for a moment too? And things got really weird then, I-I think those jellyfish were gonna electrocute me, but then you told me to wake up and Yusaku you--you were there too and you both told me to  _ wake up _ but I couldn’t answer you ‘cause I was  _ drowning _ \--” 

He doesn’t realize he is getting agitated until Yusaku puts a calming hand on his arm. He takes a deep breath. “And, anyways, I woke up after that.”

“...Takeru, you were hearing Revolver and me in your dream.”

“Yeah, you were both there--”

“No, I mean...What Revolver said, in the dream, he was saying it. To you, here. And so was I.” Yusaku clarifies. “Before you woke up you were thrashing around and looked like--you were having trouble breathing.” He absent mindedly runs his hand down Takeru’s arm, staring at it, but Takeru still sees the concern in his eyes. “We were calling you.”

“...Oh.” Takeru blinks, glancing at the man. Ryoken has his arms crossed, looking away, like he is embarrassed. Takeru is not sure how to feel about Ryoken, of all people, sitting by his bedside and talking to him in an attempt to help him wake up. In the end between him and Yusaku, they had pulled him out of his unconscious state, so he guesses he is a little grateful.

_ Still-- _

Takeru gasps, realizing something. He points an accusing finger at Ryoken. “So you  _ held _ my hand too?!”

Ryoken cranes his neck further away, as if he could look behind him to hide his face, but Takeru can see he is  _ blushing _ .

“He did.” Yusaku admits for him. “I caught him doing it.”

“You speak as if holding a hand is an  _ indecent _ act.” Ryoken protests, half glaring at Yusaku. Then he finally looks at Takeru. “They say talking and engaging with an unconscious patient can help them wake up. I was merely doing that.”

“He was worried.” Yusaku provides for him again, the corner of his mouth twitching. Ryoken grunts.

“Since Homura is awake now, I will be taking my leave.” 

“Wait--” Takeru’s hand shots out and holds onto Ryoken’s sleeve to stop him. Both are surprised by the action, and Takeru quickly draws his hand back, clearing his throat. “...I don’t get you. Or why you bothered...staying.” _ ‘I don’t understand why  _ **_you_ ** _ were worried’ _ “And I’m still going to duel you when I’m out of here. But--” He forces himself to look Ryoken in the eye. “Thank you.”

“...When you and your Ignis are back in shape, we shall duel.” It’s all Ryoken says before leaving, the door clicking shut behind him.

“But Flame is…” Takeru turns to Yusaku who shakes his head.

“We recovered his data from Bohman. It’s in pretty bad shape but Kusanagi-san and Ai are doing what they can.”

Takeru’s eyes lit up, a hopeful grin taking over his face. “Flame--he’s not completely gone--” He sags against Yusaku in relief and Yusaku lets him, putting his arm around his back. “I’m glad…” Takeru’s hands hold onto the front of Yusaku’s uniform. “And you, you are  _ safe _ too...”

“Yeah.” Yusaku mumbles. “I’m glad you are okay, too, Takeru.” He drops his chin on top of Takeru’s head and Takeru sighs, content. He still has to know how the fight with Bohman and Lightning ended, he has so many  _ questions _ , and he has a duel to prepare himself for, but what matters right now is that this, Yusaku, is  _ real _ . 

They are all okay and that’s enough to him for now.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also at
> 
> moonlights0nata on tumblr  
> @moons0nata (main) and @pocketwriting (wips/ideas) on twitter


End file.
